Humanity United is keenly aware of the ways in which the freeze on foreign aid and recent executive actions are impacting our partners and the issues we work on. We remain steadfast in our commitment to our values, our existing programs, and our partners.
The United States Government’s freeze on foreign aid and the onslaught of Executive Orders have severely disrupted our nation and the foreign aid system. These actions have already had dangerous repercussions around the world, with millions of vulnerable people now at risk. Humanity United is keenly aware of the ways in which these executive actions are impacting our partners and the issues we work on. Many of our partners have reported losing critical funding, forcing many to shut down programs and lay off staff.
The executive actions that target the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have also resulted in the termination of key partnerships and lifesaving assistance.
For example, HU partnered with a USAID funded initiative to strengthen nonviolent collective action worldwide. This work was an example of the kinds of innovative efforts that USAID was piloting; it sought to maximize taxpayer dollars directly at the grassroots level and increase collaboration across geographies. Last week, that initiative was officially terminated, leaving thousands of activists, human rights defenders, and peacebuilders unable to provide for at-risk communities. HU continues to stand by our commitment to support nonviolent social movements to counter authoritarianism globally. We will also continue to provide flexible, responsive support to movement actors everywhere through the multi-donor, activist-led Collective Action Assistance Fund.
Other recent Executive Orders ceased federal government funding for programs that addressed climate; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI); gender; racial justice; and safe migration—resulting in the delay or suspension of critical resources for marginalized communities across the U.S. and abroad. Despite the U.S. government’s actions, HU remains committed to advocating for—and supporting—vulnerable communities, including in the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report, which has historically included a section detailing the specific vulnerabilities faced by marginalized populations. We will also continue to use our platforms to elevate the perspectives of communities with lived experience and those most impacted by the issues we work on.
We are devastated by the loss of these programs and the many ways in which communities around the world are reeling from sweeping rollbacks. In the face of these disruptions, HU remains guided by our values and committed to our current strategies. We are firmly committed to continuing our support for partners who work on racial justice and equity in the United States. We will also continue to walk alongside our partners in support of the critical work they do and in a way that reinforces the sufficiency, capacity, and power of their own approaches. Finally, we remain committed to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) as a core value in our work. This commitment extends to our ongoing internal effort to go deeper in our embodiment of DEIJ values as an organization.
Our belief in shared humanity continues to be central to our vision of a more just and peaceful world. HU remains steadfast in our commitment to our values, our existing programs, and our partners.